Sleeve suspension for drills



Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES DAVID C. KLAUSMEYEB, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CINCINNATI RICK PATENT. OFFICE.

FORD TOOL COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SLEEVE SUSPENSION FOR DBILLS.

Application filed January 3, 1924. Serial No. 684,158.

This invention relates to power-driven drilling-machines and deals more especially with the type known as radial drills which involve the use of a column providing for the elevation and depression of a drill-supporting arm radiating horizontally therefrom and, usually also, providing for a swing of said arm in a horizontal plane; thereby affording a universal adjustment for the drill.

In such machines, by reason of the weight and length of the arm, of the weightof the head, and the thrust of the drill, the column is subjected to severe bending loads and it is usually formed of two members, i. e. the primary member, in the nature of a post or trunk, and a secondary member, usually in the nature of a sleeve, adapted to serve as a pivotally-acting element to provide for the swing of the radial arm.

From a standpoint of efficiency it is essential that these parts be constructed with great rigidity otherwise distortion therein, when the drill is under strain, would cause the production of imperfect work. Likewise, transportation and working considerations demand that they be constructed as lightly as is consistent with the strains to be withstood. Furthermore, as it is necessary for the attendant, with his limited strength, manually to swing the radial arm about the column to position the drill with respect to the work, it is essential that the sleeve, when Lin-clamped, be freely rotatable on the post.

Towards meeting these various requirements, it is advisable to construct the post as a tubular member (suitably strengthened by a series of internal radial ribs) and to support the sleeve upon an anti-friction bearing seated upon the upper end of the post; also to provide radial bearings between the post and sleeve to withstand the lateral thrusts and to prevent cramping between the post and sleeve.

To provide means for adjusting the arm vertically on the sleeve, and for rotating the drill spindle, it has been found convenient to provide a power shaft having one end extending into the base of the post where it operatively connected to an upright shaft journaled lengthwise of the column and from the upper end of which power may be taken to effect thedesired adjustments and operations.

To enable the 11 per end of the sleeve to be interiorly macliined and certain parts to be assembled therein, it is desirable to have it cast with an o 11 upper end which, subsequently, is close by a separate cap secured to the upper end of the sleeve and providing a bearing for the motion-transmission shaft. Heretofore, it has been common practice to have this cap serve as a connecting element between the sleeve and the post and to carry the weight of the sus pended sleeve and the attached arm.

This invention has for an object to provide an improved and simplified construction for supporting (independently of the cap) the sleeve on the post; for holding the sleeve accurately co-axlal with the post and for preventing separation of the sleeve from the post when the drill is beinghoisted.

A further object is so to support the sleeve upon the post that the cap is free of all strain and may be removed without disturbing the relation of the sleeve and post.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the lower driving gears may be quickly and easily removed and replaced and to combine therewith simple and effective means for preventing accidental contact with the driving shaft.

Other objects and advantages will be in part indicated in the following description and in part rendered apparent therefrom in connection with the annexed drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to apprehend the underlyingfeatures hereof that they may embody t ous ways contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred typical construction have been annexed as a part of this disclosure and, in such drawings, like characters offreference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which Fig. 1 is :1 central vertical section of a radial drill embodying the present invention; the radial arm being broken off. Fi Qis a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. ig. 3 is a detail plan showin a removable gearunit and the protecting e ementfor the drive shaft carried thereby and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. i

Referring more particularly to the drawe same in the vari:

ings, the invention is disclosed in a radial drill comprising a base 1 upon which is rigidly secured the enlarged lower end 2 of a tubular post 2 suitably strengthened by internal ribs 3 and formed at its upper end with a reduced neck 4 affording an annular seat 5.

Upon the post 2 is .rotatably journaled a sleeve 6 to which is adjustably secured a radial arm 7 supporting, in a manner com mon to machines of this type, a suitable drill-head (not shown) carrying the usual drill-spindle and drill-point secured therein The enlarged lower portion of the post 2 is formed with a truly cylindrical portion 2" upon which the lower end 6 of the sleeve is adapted to be clamped, by a conventional form of clamping mechanism, to prevent relative rotation between the sleeve and post One of the principal features of this invention consists of the novel way in which the sleeve 6 is supported upon the post 2 and maintained coaixially therewith. This novel arrangement embodies a combined radial-and-tln'ust-bearing 8 fitted to the neck 4 of the post and supported upon the annular seat 5. Co-operating with the bearing 8 is an annular flange 9 formed upon the inner surface of the sleeve 6. The inner surface of the flange 9 snugly embraces the bearing 8 whereby the sleeve maintained coaxial with the post. Upon the upper surface of the flange 9 is secured, by bolts 10, a thrust ring 11. This ring projects inwardly beyond the flange and bears upon the bearing 8. Thus it will be observed that the sleeve is supported upon the upper end of the post and maintained coaxial therewith by a sin gle anti'friction bearing acting in transverse directions.

To maintain the lower end of the sleeve co-axial with the post, the latter is preferably provided with a truly-cylindrical finished surface 12 which, is embraced by a like finished surface 13 formed upon the interior of the sleeve (5.

Power, to rotate the drill-spindle and to lift the arm alongthe sleeve, preferably introduced into the machine through a power-shaft 14 journaled appropriately on the base and extemling transversely of the post. This shaft 11 is operativel y connected, through a gear-unit U, including bevel gears. 15 and 16, to an upright shaft 17 journalei'l lengthwise of the post and from which. the various mechanisms may be actuated, as later will be explained.

The gear-unit U preferably comprises a frame 17 removably secured to the base 1 beneath the post, and provided with transversely disposed bearings 17* and 17 within which are journaled, respectively, the gears 15 and 16.

The gear 15 is splined to the shaft 14 and the gear 16 is likewise splined to the shaft 17. This construction greatly facilitates the assemblage of the machine as the gear-unit may be completely assembled and bodily inserted within the post after the post and base have been secured together.

To permit of the ready insertion of the gear unit, after the post and base have been assembled, the enlarged portion 2 of the post, is provided with a portal P, and the base is formed with a recess 18, ('lirectly beneath the portal, within which the depend ing' portions of the gear-unit are received.

The insertion of the gear-unit is elilictcd by placing the plate 1'? flat upon the upper surface of the base 1, with the bearing 1? extending into the recess 18, and pushin it bodily through the portal until the positioning )ins p, carried by the frame 17. enter Sllltt )le apertures formed in the base, in which position the gear-unit is secured by bolts 0.

It is to be noted that the recess 18 is formed with straight unbroken walls and that the gear-unit contact with the base 1 only upon the upper surface thereof. The recess may, therefore, be cast in the base and inasmuch as the gear-unit has no contact with the walls of the recess no machining of the walls is necessary.

With the gear-unit secured in position the shaft 17 may be inserted into the top of the post and let down through the bearing 21 until the lower end of the shaft connected by the spline s to the gear 16. Likewise, the shaft 14 may then be inserted horizontallv into the gear 15. v

The gear-unit may be readily removed from the machine for inspection and for replacement of the gears, when they become worn by merely withdrawing the shafts 1 1 and 11 in the converse manner and removing the bolts that hold the gear unit in position, without ren'ioving the post from the base.

One of the important features of tl'iis invention consists in the simplicity of construction and attaclunent to the ba.-:e 1, of the gear unit U. The frame 1T includes a plate 17" having at opposite sides projecting finished surfaces ('1, b and c. \Vhen the unit ii is located in its operative position the surfaces a restupon the finished top of the base 1 and the unit is held against lengthwise movement by means of the bolts 71" passing; through apertures in the rear end of the frame and threaded into the base 1. The })t) ;iilullil.itf pins insure the location of the frame so that the axis of the shaft 14 will coincide with the axis of the shaft 17. Suitable guide-bars G, secured by bolts (1 upon the base 1., contact with the surfaces 7) and c and hold the gear-unit against upward and lateral movement.

It is to be noted that all of the bearing surfaces a, b and o of the frame 17 are so titranged that they are easily machined and llt that by securing the frame directly upon the upper face of the base all dillicult machine work on the base, to form a seating for the gear-unit, eliminated, and also that great rigidity is thereby secured.

Imismuch asthe rotating drive-shalt 1-4 is, as in prior machines, located adjacent the base and extends exteriorly of the post. it has heretotii rc been a constant source of danger to the operator. This invention coir templates :1 simple and cfl ective means for preventing the operator, or his clothing, from coming into accidental contact with the drive hatt. This means may convenientivy consist of a metal tube 19 completely enclosing the drive shaft from where it emerges from the portal P. This tube preferably held concentric with the shaft by having one end held within a suitable aperture formed. in an upstanding lug 2t) integral with the gear-unit. Any suitable means may be employed for holding the opposite end of the tube concentric with the shaft.

Adjacent its lower end, the upright shaft 17 is preferably jourualed in abearing 91 supported by the ribs 8 of the sleeve 2 and. at its upper end, in a bearing 22 provided by the cap 23 secured upon the upper end of the sleeve 6. This shaft may have secured to it, at its upper end, means, such as a gear 24, whereby motion may be transmitted to the spindle rotating mechanism and also utilized, through a conventional instrumentality, for raising or lowering the arm. These parts being conventional need notbe described. It is to be noted that the ca is entirely separate and independent train the means for supporting the sleeve on the post and is therefore tree of all strain and may be removed from the sleeve without disturbing the relation between the sleeve and the post.

It treipiently happens, in the transportation of a drill, that it is hoisted by means of a rope placed around the arm and sleeve To prevent the sleeve from being littcd oil of the post, when the drill is hoisted, this invention provides an internal plate 25 so cured by bolts 26 to the neck 4 of the post. This plate overlies the thrustring 11 and, when the drill is hoisted, contacts therewith and thereby prevents material displacement oi the sleeve on the post.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that there has been pro idcd an improved structure which is simple in construction, efficientin operation and which meets all of the reipiirements as regards to manufacture, transportation and use.

\Vithout further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various utilizations by retaining one or more of the features that, from the standpoint of the prior art,

fairly constitute essential characteristicsof either the generic or specificaspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should be, and are intended to be, compre handed within the meaning and range (of equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements, or uivalents thereof, by Letters Patent 0 the United States: i i

1. A radial drill combining a post; a sleeve rotatably journaled thereon; an annular flange formed upon the inner surface of said sleeve; a sleeve-supporting ring removably secured upon the top surface of said flange; a cap secured to the upper end of said sleeve; a ad means for supporting the weight of said sleeve upon the upper end of said post independent of said cap, said means including an anti-friction bearing seated upon said post and upon which said ring bears.

v2. A radial drill combining a base; an upright post secured thereto and provided at its upper end with a reduced neck and an annular shoulder; a sleeve circumscribing said post and rotatably journaled thereon; an internal annular flange formed within said sleeve adjacent said neck; a combined radialand thrust-bearing seating upon said annular shoulder and located intermediate said reduced neck and said flange and in contact with both; a thrust ring secured upon said flange and projecting inwardly therefrom and overlying said bearing; said bearing being so constructed and arranged with respect to said neck, flange, and thrust-ring that it acts in transverse directions to sup port the weight of said sleeve on said post and to maintain the upper end of said sleeve co-axial with said post; and a strain-free cap for closing the upper end of said sleeve.

3. A radial drill combining a base; an uprightpost secured thereto and provided at its upper end with a reduced neck; a combined radialand thrust-bearing held upon said neck; a sleeve rotatably journaled upon said post; an annular flange within the upper end of said sleeve and contacting with the periphery of said bearing to maintain said sleeve co-axial with said post; a thrustriug secured upon said flange and resting upon the top of said bearing to support the weight of saidsleeve on said post; a normally idle thrust-ring secured upon said neck and spaced above and overlap iing said first-mentioned thrust-ring and adapted to contact therewith to prevent material displacement of said sleeve on said post when the drill is being hoisted.

4. A radial drill combining a base formed in its upper face with a recess; a tubular post provided at its lower end with an enlarged portion formed with a portal in registry with said recess; a. horizontal drivill) liltl ing shaft adjacent said base;- a vertical driven shaft within said post; a removable gear-unit, insertable through said portal and held within said recess, a, pair of intermeshing bevel-gears carried by said gear-unit of which one is secured to said driving shaft and the other is secured to said driven shaft for operatively connecting said shafts; a lug on said gear-unit forming a substantial. clo' sure for said portal; and a protecting tube surrounding said driving shaft and supported at one end in the lug formed upon said gear unit, said protecting tube extend ing within said portal.

5. A machine tool combining a base; a hollow post upstanding from said base and sup ported thereby; a driving shaft journaled lengtlnvise of said base; a driven shaft journaled lengthwise of said post; means for operatively connecting said driving and driven shafts including bevel gears splined to said shafts; a removable frame within which said bevel gears are journalcd, said frame being supported wholly upon the upper surface of said base: means entirely at one end of said frame for preventing endwise movementof said frame; and opposed guide bars, each engaging transverse surfaces of said frame to hold it against, lateral movement on said base and against upward movement therefrom.

6. A machine-tool combining a base formed with a recess; a hollow post upstanding from said base and supported thereby; a driving shaft journaled lengthwise of said base; a driven shaft journaled lengthwise of said post; a gear-unit for operatively C011- nect-ing said driving and driven shafts, said gear-unit comprising a supporting frame, formed with a plurality of finished bearing surfaces and two transversely disposed bearings, and two inter-meshing bevel. gears journaled in said bearings one of which is splined to the driving shaft and the other of which is splined to the driven shaft; said frame being supported wholly upon the upper surface of said base with one of said bearings extending within said recess; and opposed guide-bars secured upon the upper surface of said base and engaging the sides of said frame to hold it against lateral movement. said. guide bars also having portions overlying said frame to hold it mainst upward movement from said basca 7. A radial drill combining a base; a post secured thereto; a sleeve surrounding said post; hearings to m aiutain said sleeve coaxi :d with said post; a thrust bearing intermediate the upper end of the post and the sleeve whereby the weight of said sleeve is sup ported by said post; and a normally inactive thrust bearing conngrising ovcrlamied complemental thrust rings carried by the post and sleeve above the thrust bearing which supports the sleeve, said normally inaetive thrust bearing being rendered etl'ective only by upward movement of said sleeve on said post and serving to prevent separation of said sleeve and post when the drill hoisted by said sleeve. 7

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

DAVID C. KLAUSMEYER. 

